Listen to candid discussions with CEOs and founders about the moments that test leaders most. These are the turning points that shape companies and define leadership. If you’re building something meaningful, leading through uncertainty, or preparing for the CEO seat, these stories are for you.

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Overview: Private equity doesn't reward incremental thinking. It rewards leaders who can scale under pressure, build systems that outperform, and push past what most teams believe is possible to Make BIG Happen. 

On today's show, Peter Platten explains his four-move framework to grow fast in a private equity environment. He also discusses how to build teams that overshoot goals instead of simply meeting them and why systems-thinking -- not siloed optimization -- is the real key to exponential success.

Overview: A CEO who's led their company past the "I'll Do Everything" stage needs a true financial strategist at their side to stop surviving and start scaling. But the CEO also needs clarity on what kind of financial expertise their company truly needs at various stages of growth. Paying a full-time CFO to act like a glorified bookkeeper isn't going to accelerate your trajectory. And a "CF-No" who builds a moat around your cash might not share the CEO's bold vision for BIG. 

On today's show, Jerry Vance and Scott Crawford explore the state of the fractional CFO industry and why forecasting and five-year planning are strategic leadership tools, not just accounting exercises.

Jason Breazeale, Vice President of Technology at Burn Boot Camp, a rapidly growing fitness franchise with nearly 400 locations.

Overview: Yes, your company needs to be using AI. But before you start buying subscriptions and upgrading your tech stack, you need to understand what actually drives successful AI integrations: a bedrock of solid data. Without clean, accessible, and trusted data, even the most advanced AI tools will fail to deliver results.

On today's show, Tim Kreytak and Jason Breazeale discuss why you need BIG data mastery before AI can help your company Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: If AI was just a technical problem, the solutions would be simple. Upgrade your tech stack. Hire the best AI experts. Buy more bandwidth.

But the true challenge of AI is how it challenges leadership. CEOs who feel the need to "do something" often sacrifice identity and trust for speed. And in their haste, they fail to communicate a clear vision that reduces employees' anxiety around AI and transforms the company's culture.

On today's show, Jose Vergara discusses how his 5-step AI roadmap for CEOs can help companies embrace AI, improve productivity, and Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: No one pauses your climb up the corporate ladder to teach you how to be a great CEO. And yet, once you do earn the BIG job, every decision carries weight, and every mistake gets more expensive. CEOs who accelerate through leadership growing pains often lean on experienced mentors, coaches, and peer groups for expertise that helps them avoid common mistakes and Make BIG Happen.

On today's show, Randy Wootton shares the hard-earned secrets of success he's gathered over a career that took him from the cockpit of a Navy jet to the boardrooms of Silicon Valley.

Overview: If you ran your business the way many CEOs manage their health, you'd have to call an emergency board meeting immediately. The same successful CEOs who lead with precise data and dashboards often rely on "gut feel" when it comes to their own biology. Or, worse, they brush aside stress, exhaustion, and that funny feeling in their chest as just part of the job. 

On today's show, Dr. Jeff Graham explains why CEOs who want to perform at a high level over decades need to treat their health as a measurable, optimizable operating system. He also discusses how "precision medicine," recovery, and adaptability can help leaders stay mentally sharp, improve their health, and keep Making BIG Happen.

Overview: The BIGGEST danger to a company's enterprise value isn't bad strategy. It's unmanaged risk hiding in plain sight. CEOs who view insurance as a "Nice to Have" need to look beyond the line item and start integrating risk management into their long-term growth plans.

On today's show, Trey Mauck discusses how strategic risk management protects valuation, reduces disruption, and can become a competitive advantage on the way to Making BIG Happen.

Overview: Sometimes in the life of an entrepreneur, Making BIG Happen is the easy part. Years of meticulous planning and exceptional leadership bring their company to a successful sale. But then they realize that they haven't put the same level of preparation into what happens after the transaction closes and the money hits their account.

 On today's show, Saman Samii and Mitch Slater discuss how to prepare yourself emotionally, financially, and structurally for the BIG moment when most of your net worth suddenly becomes liquid.

Overview: If your digital marketing strategy is still focused on improving your company's SEO rankings, you're playing an outdated game. To get BIG in 2026, your company has to be the answer to the questions that customers are asking AI.

On today's show, Kevin Roy explains how the rise of AI and large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude is transforming the way businesses attract leads, build demand, and Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background:    If you want to 10X your company, start by 10Xing the one indispensable resource that drives everything: the CEO.

Your company's culture, its growth trajectory, its resilience, its ability to pivot, its attractiveness to top talent and potential buyers, and ultimately, its legacy, are all a reflection of you. Learning to lead from "the inside out" can help you make the most of that responsibility and Make BIG Happen.

On today's show, Dr. Mario Simon explores the three stages of a leader's evolution and how CEOs can transform their mindset and self-awareness into a competitive advantage.

Quick Background:   Companies don't stall because their industries are stalling, or because of tariffs, or because of AI. They slow down because the CEO doesn't have a plan to maintain growth through the good and the bad. 

When your dashboards start blinking red, you need to find ways to plug your company into a broader ecosystem of customers, products, and partnerships that can recalibrate your business' trajectory, no matter what's going on in the rest of the world. 

On today's show, David Desharnais discusses how CEOs can break out of stagnation and accelerate their growth, as well as how to build a Jim Collins-style flywheel that will keep propelling your company towards BIG.

Quick Background:   Scaling a business isn't just about growth. It's about evolving your systems, your people, and yourself as a leader so that you can keep pace with the opportunities in front of you and create some new opportunities along the way.

On today's show, Greg Solomon explains his  four-stage model for scaling a business 10X. We also discuss how leaders can reinvent themselves and their companies to stay relevant, keep growing, and Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background:  Every great company begins with a dream. But turning that dream into a reality requires more than just vision. It requires a defined process and an inspired team that rallies the whole company around the leader's BIG goals. 

On today's show, Michael J. Slater explains how his process of "Dreaming Backwards" can establish the principles and strategy CEOs need to Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background:  It's impossible to lead your business with clarity if your identity is fused with your business. And it's impossible to achieve meaningful scale if your connection to the business is concentrating too much decision-making at the top. The best CEOs evolve beyond a start-up mindset as they learn to let go, pivot towards opportunity, and reinvent themselves as both leaders and as people. 

On today's show, Sasha Kelberg explains why learning to separate yourself from your business is one of the most overlooked keys to Making BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Every elite organization is powered by talent, especially in the CEO's chair. But talent alone won't get your company to BIG. Sustainable growth requires a disciplined approach to performance, accountability, and resilience. Some of the very best leaders sharpen these skills through elite training and a commitment to excellence in and out of the office.

On today's show, Rod Reynolds explains how CEOs can assemble a high-performance team and how physical discipline can build the resilience executives need to Making BIG Happen.

Quick Background: At the start of every day, CEOs have a choice. They can bring all their personal and professional baggage into the office and lead from a place of fear and frustration. Or they can choose to lead from a place of positivity and rally the troops around an inspiring vision for success. 

On today's show, Scott White explains why the perspective we choose isn't a soft skill -- it's a leadership superpower that's essential to Making BIG Happen.

Overview: Selling your business may be the single most important financial event of your life. And the process is far more complex, emotional, and impactful than most CEOs realize. CEOs who truly care about the businesses they built need to find more than just the right fit for a sale. They need to work through a strategic process that will maximize the company's value, protect their teams, and secure their legacies as founders.

On today's show, Brenda Jacobsen and Andy Harris discuss what it takes to prep your company for sale, how to balance running the business while navigating the exit process, and the critical decisions that determine whether you just get a deal done or Make BIG Happen for the future of your family and your company.

Quick Background: CEOs who want to get to BIG need to answer four questions:

• What do you want?
• How do you get what you want?
• What could stand in the way of you getting what you want?
• How do you hold yourself accountable?

If you combine specific answers with actionable strategy, then tariffs, AI, new competitors, and new disruptions are nothing more than manageable variables. And while other companies "wait and see," you'll be making consistent progress toward your BIG goals. 

On this classic episode, CEO Coaching International leaders discuss their Wall Street Journal bestseller Making BIG Happen and how our system can help CEOs grow their companies through uncertainty and adversity.

Quick Background: Is your sales team consistently clearing the bar, month after month?

Great. Then it's time to raise the bar. 

Left to their own devices, even the best salespeople will take the path of least resistance to hitting their targets and getting paid. This misalignment between what's good for your people and what's good for the business will eventually lead to a plateau -- and that's the last place you want to be with competition rising, tariffs looming, and AI disrupting. 

The CEO needs to keep every piece of the sales process -- from what you're selling to the quality of the team doing the selling -- on an upward trajectory that drives the whole company towards its long-term goals. 

On this classic episode, Ken Eissing discusses six ways CEOs can assemble, manage, and motivate a top sales team that will drive fast growth and Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: CEOs started 2025 with a long list of unknowns ranging from AI and interest rates to tariff turbulence and global conflicts. Six months later, questions about the world and the pace of change in business still outnumber definitive answers. But the best CEOs know that where there are challenges there are always opportunities. And if you have courage, vision, strategy, and a team of A-players, your company will be nimble enough to adjust on the fly and strong enough to grow through any obstacles. 

On this classic episode, Dan Smytka discusses specific strategies that will help you keep moving products, delivering services, expanding your profit margins, and Making BIG Happen even when the going gets tough.

Overview: Growing and managing a BIG business is an art. For many CEOs, high-level leadership is also a journey of self-discovery. Find that perfect harmony between all your skills and passions and Making BIG Happen will be that much more fulfilling. 

On today's show, Mo Said discusses how he resolved the tensions between the artist he wanted to be and the CEO his business needed. He also shares how he designed his own CEO education through stories, coaching, and reflection, and why great entrepreneurs are actually great artists.

Quick Background: COVID, WFH, NIMBYs, and YIMBYs were already accelerating changes to how and where we work and live. Now leaders in the real estate sector are also contending with major political hurdles, higher interest rates, and inflated costs across the board.  

But there are also BIG opportunities in real estate for CEOs who know how to spot value and serve the needs of customers and their communities. 

On today's show, Byron Carlock  explains how  leaders in real estate and other industries can align strategy, capital, and policy to Make BIG Happen in this complex environment.

Quick Background: If you're skipping over Gen Z workers because you "don't want to deal with them," you're letting stereotypes and social media memes cloud your judgment. Gen Z is mission-driven and tech-savvy, and they crave strong leadership that can teach them how to channel their passions into Making BIG Happen. 

On today's show, Kyle Karnes explains why Gen Z may be the most misunderstood and undervalued generation in the workforce and shares best practices for hiring and developing your company's next wave of talent.

Quick Background: You can't always blame sales and marketing when your sales are trending in the wrong direction. And sales and marketing can't always blame each other. Great leaders push their teams to look below the surface and also take in the BIG picture to repair deeper misalignments that are stalling progress.

On today's show, Brett Jackson discusses how optimizing the go-to-market value chain can drive sustainable revenue growth and Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Successful startups and small businesses eventually reach a place where complexity starts to stall growth. It's at this early turning point that the CEO has to take their leadership up a notch and make the tough decisions that will Make BIG Happen.

On today's show, Matt Dunie discusses how to navigate the challenges of the "messy middle," including dealing with change, decentralizing decision-making, and finding the courage to lead with transparency and empathy.

Overview: All successful CEOs pour their hearts into their businesses. But a company that truly lives and breathes your mission can be as BIG as it is rewarding and impactful. 

On today's show, Joanne Starkman discusses how her deeply personal mission to create non-toxic, high-performing hair care products has grown into a category-defining brand that's beloved by salons, stylists, and customers across the country.

Overview: CEOs often feel like they're making "life and death" business decisions. But, as we saw during the pandemic, when the safety of your customers and employees is at stake, CEOs need reliable data that will help them adapt to the facts on the ground quickly and lead decisively. 

On today's show, Dr. Joel Myers  explains how technology, including AI and predictive analytics, is shaping the future of weather forecasting and how businesses can prepare to mitigate risks, protect their people, maintain efficiency, and keep Making BIG Happen.

Overview: Your company's tech stack needs AI integration. But stories are like software for the brain.  Once you've uploaded them, they can be recalled and replayed to inspire action in your audience again and again.

On today's show, Don Yaeger discusses the art and impact of storytelling. We explore how mastering this skill can transform your business, your leadership, and your personal life. We also talk about why storytelling is one of the most powerful leadership tools available to you and how it can help drive meaningful action and Make BIG Happen.

To get a jump start on improving your own storytelling skills, download Don's 45 Questions to Help You Develop Your Story Bank.

Quick Background: Consistent, transparent communication is a hallmark of great leadership. But a CEO is never communicating to just one audience. Employees, customers, shareholders, board members, regulators, franchisees, and the press are rarely all tuned to the same frequency. If you want to be heard and understood 100% of the time, it's essential to learn how and when to adjust your messaging.

On today's show, Chris Braun discusses  how to communicate effectively to multiple stakeholders to drive alignment, maximize value, and Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: No "good" company makes the leap to "great" without exceptional leadership. Where good CEOs just keep the gears turning, great CEOs actually create value by managing a culture that inspires peak performance and drives consistent growth. 

On today's show, Smith Holland discusses how leadership drives value creation, how the CEO multiplier effect amplifies the CEO's impact across the organization, and how he coaches CEOs to unlock their potential and Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: As AI usage becomes more and more mainstream, companies that didn't have the foresight to include an AI road map in their last few annual planning sessions are scrambling onto the bandwagon. But if your company is in catch-up mode, you'll never gain ground in this rapidly evolving space without a plan for analyzing your options, building up your infrastructure, and streamlining integration.

On today's show, Brian Mergelas  explains how leaders can use AI to unlock value in their businesses. Brian shares his insights on developing an AI strategy, navigating its challenges, and its potential to revolutionize industries, including yours. We also explore practical examples of leveraging AI for process improvements, innovation, and decision-making to Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Every entrepreneur dreams of a BIG exit. But having a dream isn't the same as having a plan. To attract an ideal buyer, owners and CEOs need to scale smart, assemble the right team, and adopt a strategic mindset that will turn their dream into a reality. 

On today's show, Jeff Tennyson shares his blueprint for preparing yourself and your company for a BIG exit.

Then register now for the 2025 Make BIG Happen Summit, April 24-27 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel. This year, in addition to our usual lineup of world-class speakers and social events, we're excited to unveil our exclusive "MBH" program—a full MBA experience distilled into one intensive day. You'll gain strategies and insights directly from renowned experts like Good To Great author Jim Collins, and Harvard Business School professors Deepak Malhotra and Boris Groysberg. 

For a preview of the kind of inspiring, motivating, and actionable presentations you can expect at the Make BIG Happen Summit, listen to 2019 speaker John DiJulius deliver a masterclass on exceptional customer service. 

Guest: John DiJulius, Chief Revolution Officer and President of the DiJulius Group.

Quick Background: Most companies get customer service all wrong. They make a big show of designing shiny apps, building amazing showrooms, and rolling out cutting-edge products. But they forget to put laser focus on who actually pays for all that—the customer! When you deepen your customer relationships and focus on creating a memorable experience, you can charge a premium price and retain clients for life.

"Technology is only 10% of the experience," says customer service expert John DiJulius, while your person who delivers the service is the other 90%. "Technology can never build a rapport, show empathy, or make a brilliant comeback when we drop the ball, but you can," John says.

Many businesses are trying to de-emphasize the importance of the employee and replace them with chatbots and AI. But that technology will never outperform a well-trained human who steps in when your customer needs personalized help.

In this presentation, recorded live at the 2019 CEO Coaching International Summit, John DiJulius explains how you can train your team to own every problem, make meaningful connections with every customer, and create a world-class customer experience that will drive BIG business.

Quick Background: Learning and leadership growth should always be at the top of a CEO's list of New Year's goals. One of the most impactful ways to accelerate that learning is by connecting with other leaders. Business forums can  provide a structured and supportive environment to share your experiences, reflect on your challenges, and learn from your peers so that you can elevate your business skills and accelerate your success.

On today's show, Chris Stakich discusses how CEO Coaching International's new business forums complement the coaching experience and will help CEOS Make BIG Happen in 2025.

Overview: Making BIG Happen requires a sales strategy that's innovative, adaptable, and capable of sustaining scale. But sales isn't a core competency at all firms -- especially start-ups and companies that are laser-focused on product development. Outsourcing can give CEOs quick access to a world-class sales team while their company keeps doing what it does best. 

On today's show, Dina Coker explains how she deploys outsourced sales teams that complement or replace traditional in-house structures. She also discusses the critical moments when CEOs should consider leveraging outsourced sales talent and the key strategies for turning sales into a BIG advantage.

Overview: Every BIG starts small. In order to achieve their vision and sustain growth, the CEO has to establish precise, actionable steps that build towards measurable results. Keep the right numbers trending in the right direction every day, month, quarter, and year, and you'll keep Making BIG Happen. 

On today's show, Erin Cigich explains how thinking about sales as a "math problem" and working with a CEO coach have been instrumental in helping the company beat its sales target by more than 200%. We also talk about leveraging AI for customer acquisition, clarifying your ideal customer profile, and building a performance-based culture.

Overview: Every BIG is even BIGGER at a truly global business. Subsidiaries and their holding companies need to synchronize culture and processes to achieve a wide array of goals that impact a huge number of stakeholders. But leaders also have to be able to identify the specific action items that belong at the top of their to-do lists so that their company finds that sweet spot between operational rigor and optimal performance. 

On today's show, Matt Plitt explains how he led Valent by building a culture that balances entrepreneurial spirit with discipline. He also explains how working with CEO Coaching International helped him implement a framework for high performance, cultural alignment, and accountability.

Quick Background: The very best companies make the hard work of daily execution and consistent progress look easy. But to lead a company to that place where every cog is in sync and every flywheel is spinning, the CEO has to master three essential elements that keep people and processes heading in the same direction. 

On today's show, Spencer Shaffer dives into how these three essential elements combined with his top tactics for driving powerful execution will Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: A great company is always BIGGER than the sum of its parts. The very highest performers align everything they do around key elements that ground the company's purpose and guide its daily operations towards achieving BIG goals. 

On today's show, Greg Martin explains the five business elements all CEOs need to align to Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Why are some founders and CEOs able to repeat BIG success? Because they understand that winning a market, consistent growth, and nine-figure exits aren't a matter of luck. Once you've learned how to install specific, measurable, and actionable systems, you can repeat those processes at new companies, and even in new industries.

And the best of the best, like the team at CEO Coaching International, can teach other CEOs how to do the same and Make BIG Happen.

On today's show, Anthony Venus discusses how his leadership and strategic vision fueled YayPay's growth and ultimate success, the importance of developing a strong company culture, and what his recent travels have taught him about the need for CEOs to lead with passion and purpose.

Quick Background: What's the BIGGEST mistake CEOs make about their go-to-market strategy?

Acting like it's finished. 

Consistently studying and refining your value proposition, customer profile, and messaging is the only way to keep your company competing, growing, and Making BIG Happen. 

On today's show, Mary Naylor walks us through the five steps she uses to ensure that a CEO's go-to-market strategy stays relevant and dynamic in a constantly evolving marketplace.

Quick Background: Nothing can move the needle on your company's ceiling quicker than talent. That's why great companies hire the best people, period. But how do you know if your teams are coalescing around the company's BIG goals and cultural values?

On today's show, Lisa Tanzer details the five traits of high-performing teams and her proven approach to building and managing the talent CEOs need to Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Running a business has always been hard. And considering that today's CEOs need to manage complex generational divides, global competition, rapid technological advances, and a constantly evolving economic landscape, leading isn't going to get any easier. But if your company has a clear vision, top talent, and dependable systems, there are very few BIG goals or problems that a CEO can't break down into smaller, more manageable parts. 

On today's show, Chris Justice shares his practical, five-step framework for turning around companies and dealing with complicated business situations.

Overview: In 2012, Sarah Dusek's "glamping" company was starting its first season at Yellowstone National Park. One fateful afternoon, a huge thunderstorm rolled in and flattened the campsite, and, seemingly, Sarah's dream. 

But Sarah, her husband, her employees, and even her customers rallied. She rebuilt her business model with an eye towards repeatability and scale. And as the company began to get to BIG, Sarah began "thinking bigger" as well. 

On today's show, Sarah Dusek describes her incredible journey from the brink of collapse to building a $100-million industry leader. She also shares lessons from her new career in VC about what makes a business investible.

Overview: Much of the focus on the AI revolution has been on how businesses can streamline operations and execute certain key tasks around the clock. But any AI implementation that isn't improving the efficiency and quality of your customer experience is going to be a downgrade, no matter how fancy your tech stack is.

On today's show, Sally Hurley explains how to zero in on the unique balance between AI automation and human connection that will Make BIG Happen for your company.

Overview: When it comes to comp, money is rarely enough -- especially for top talent. The best workers need to feel like their efforts are not just rewarded but recognized as integral contributions towards Making BIG Happen. Your compensation package has to tie all of these motivations together in a way that's clear, equitable, and integral to the company's top goals.

On today's show, Jen L'Estrange shares five key insights on upgrading your compensation package:

1. Increase focus on variable compensation. 

2. Communicate clearly about how compensation is structured.

3. Incentivize both short-term performance and long-term strategic objectives.

4. Provide non-monetary motivation for team members. 

5. Benchmark salaries against market data rather than relying solely on cost of living adjustments.

Overview: Whether you're running a Silicon Valley tech firm or a nonprofit in your hometown, getting BIG is never just a matter of driving up profits. Money is the fuel that powers the greater mission, which lifts up employees and shareholders as well as customers and community. CEOs have to use that higher purpose as a guide for how to achieve meaningful scale that will also deliver a meaningful impact. 

On today's show, Dr. Madan Kandula discusses how he built ADVENT from a small practice to a thriving organization with over 300 employees and 25 locations across the Midwest. He also shares valuable insights on balancing profit with mission and how to effectively partner with private equity firms without compromising your vision for serving clients and Making BIG Happen.

Quick Background: In order to Make BIG Happen, private equity firms need the companies they invest in to get BIG too. And, in most cases, the sooner the better.

On today's show, Randy discusses how the team at CEO Coaching International works with private equity firms and their portco (portfolio company) CEOs to accelerate growth, improve execution, and maximize returns. Randy shares some insights on the importance of early intervention in newly acquired companies, bridging the gap between private equity expectations and portfolio company execution, and how coaching can help CEOs navigate the increased pressure that often comes with private equity ownership.

Overview: Generational CEOs are inheriting a BIG responsibility when they take over the family business. The new CEO is often filling "big shoes" and has to maintain the best of what got the firm to where it is while also moving forward in certain areas and keeping talent aligned with the business' core values.

On today's show, Shelley Van Etten discusses how she navigated the challenges of leading a second-generation family business, preserving company culture while evolving with the times, and preparing the next generation to keep Making BIG Happen.

Quick Background: So you've built, grown, and sold your first company. Ready for your next entrepreneurial adventure? Many aren't. To get back to the top of the mountain, entrepreneurs have to be willing to learn from their failures as well as their successes, and stay focused on the leadership principles that helped them Make BIG Happen in the first place.

On today's show, Jon Hyman explains how he was able to lead an eclectic group of companies towards the same goal: a BIG exit.

Overview: The difference between a BIG idea fizzling out or becoming reality is execution. The CEO has to support innovation at every level of the company while also keeping that innovation organized around driving progress towards annual goals. Following creative ambitions without vision and focus could lead your business astray, or open the door for disruption from a nimble competitor.

On today's show, Scott Belsky discusses how leaders can find the right balance of talent, tech, and innovation to make ideas -- and BIG -- happen.

Guest: Wendy Mather, CEO of RDP Creative. Wendy and her team "bring creative ideas and stories to life through bespoke merchandise that people want to keep for years."

Overview: When you're sitting in the CEO's chair, there's only one step up left in an organization. But opportunities to grab an ownership stake are rare. CEOs who want a BIG piece of the pie have to be personally, professionally, and financially prepared to seize that moment.

On today's show, Wendy Mather explains how she purchased RDP Creative -- with a little help from some very supportive friends. She also discusses how she uses empathetic leadership and the power of positivity to shape a winning culture and Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Mastering AI is not the CEO's job. But learning about the fundamentals and identifying potential implementations is a responsibility that no CEO can afford to shrug off any longer. As Peter Diamandis said at our recent Make BIG Happen Summit, "Everyone's moving towards AI companies. It is happening now, and it is the most important happening that has ever existed." You simply can't let challenging ideas and an alphabet soup of acronyms prevent your company from catching this wave.

On today's show, Curt Gooden explains important AI concepts and discusses how CEOs can drive innovation and gain a competitive advantage that will Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Innovation is the lifeblood of a growing company. If you're not continuously improving your products and services and exploring new marketplaces, you're putting a cap on your business' potential, and creating an opening that younger, nimbler, and braver competitors will march right through.

On today's show, we explore Greg Coticchia's process for mastering new product development and building a culture of innovation that will Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Even if your company is global, business is always local. Your strategies for attracting and retaining customers have to be customized for each individual market. What unites your plan of attack from town to town, state to state, and country to country is the consistency of your company's values, the strength of its brand, and its ability to execute, no matter what.

On today's show, Jonathan Seliger shares his strategies for expanding a brand's reach, effectively managing growth challenges, and ensuring that scaling efforts align with long-term profitability and sustainability goals that will Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Lean management is a systematic approach to running an organization that focuses on continuous improvement and seeks to maximize customer value while minimizing waste. Essentially, it involves using fewer resources to create more value for customers. The primary goals of lean management are to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and increase productivity and quality by streamlining processes and eliminating any steps in a process that do not create value for the end customer. 

Some companies have faced the threats of high inflation and interest rates by scaling back, well, everything: costs, office space, marketing, people, new products, and perhaps worst of all, ambition. CEOs have to understand that there's a BIG difference between a streamlined, lean company that's ready for anything and a declining company that's cutting too many corners.

On today's show, Keith Corrigan breaks down the true essence of Lean management, including the management system he has implemented to minimize waste and Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: There's no one way to be an effective business leader. But the CEO's unique alchemy of personality, strategy, and vision has to inspire trust from employees at every level of the organization. If your employees don't believe in you, they won't be willing to follow you through the inevitable ups and downs on the way to Making BIG Happen. 

On today's show Edward Hughes discusses his comprehensive leadership philosophy, which emphasizes building trust to drive success and foster a high-growth culture.

Quick Background: While the title "Chief Experience Officer" is relatively new, the executive-level responsibilities that will fall on the CXO's desk are not. Before considering a costly new c-suite hire, your company needs to have a holistic understanding of how touchpoints with customers and employees fulfill needs and exceed expectations. Guided by the CEO's vision, a CXO can raise those standards, maintain consistency across every department, and build a powerful culture that will Make BIG Happen.

On today's show, Saari Gardner discusses the CXO's multifaceted responsibilities, from being a changemaker and a voice for the customer at the executive table to reducing internal friction that impacts customer satisfaction. Saari also highlights the link between employee experience and customer service excellence and how fostering a positive work environment translates into superior customer interactions. We also explore the strategic considerations for integrating a CXO into your company, including when to recognize the need for this role and how to measure its impact on your business's bottom line.

Quick Background: The hype around AI is so BIG that many CEOs struggle to zero in on two-to-three specific, practical, and actionable applications. That's where our CEO AI Roadmap comes in. The combination of our proven best practices and cutting-edge analysis of the latest AI trends will help CEOs develop a comprehensive AI strategy that delivers BIG results.

On today's show, Randy Koch gives an overview of the process CEOs can use to build their own CEO AI Roadmaps, leverage AI to its full potential, and Make BIG Happen.

Overview: The 2024 Make BIG Happen Summit in Miami Beach, Florida is almost here! On April 26th and 27th, 400 of the BIGGEST and best business leaders from around the world will gather at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel to learn, to connect, and to get inspired to Make BIG Happen in their lives and businesses.

And, for the first time in the Summit's 10-year history, we're opening up registration for this one-of-a-kind event to CEOs, entrepreneurs, and executives outside of our coaching community. 

On this special episode, Mark Moses discusses the Four Groundbreaking Event Themes that will define the 2024 Make BIG Happen Summit, our extraordinary lineup of speakers, and what he hopes attendees will take away from their time in Miami Beach.

Overview: Effective marketing is a constantly moving target. Today's hot engagement strategy will be copycatted by all of your competition tomorrow. "Old-fashioned" media like print and radio get rediscovered on the cheap ... until everyone else rediscovers them and drives up the cost of ad buys. In order to maintain a competitive marketing advantage, CEOs need to start looking for synergies and partnerships that can boost your brand's awareness, strengthen your appeal to niche customers, and Make BIG Happen. 

On today's show, Robert Glazer discusses how partnership marketing works, action steps that CEOs can take to augment their current marketing strategies, and some of Robert's key learnings from building a fast-growing company.

Overview: A good CEO understands his company's core competencies. A great CEO also understands his company's weaknesses. And the absolute best CEOs have the humility and long-term vision to get help shoring up those weaknesses so that they can Make BIG Happen. 

On today's show, Harold Brand discusses how working with CEO Coaching International's Jim Weaver helped his technology firm grow into a sales and marketing juggernaut with over 2,700 customers worldwide.

Overview: Is your digital marketing plan stuck in "The Before Times?" 

Post-pandemic, CEOs need to understand how to get maximum effort, creativity, and service from their marketing teams. 

And as we head into the next iteration of the AI era, CEOs need to understand that tech is never a solution -- it's a tool that needs to be placed in the right hands, in service of clear objectives.

On today's show, Bruce Clay discusses how COVID and AI have accelerated digital marketing's evolution and how to tweak your marketing attack to keep Making BIG Happen. 

Overview: Leveraging your company's financial data isn't just a numbers game. Without top talent and clearly defined roles for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting financial data, CEOs won't have the insight they need to track, measure, and manage KPIs to BIG.

On today's show, Scott Crawford discusses the CEO's role in the financial side of the business, the key players to assemble on your financial team, and the six essential financial tools every company needs. 

Quick Background: Entrepreneurs and CEOs rarely love managing their business' finances as much as they love running their businesses. But leaders need to have comprehensive data at their fingertips and a team that can use that data to enhance the company's strategic planning and execution.

On today's show, Daniel Kim discusses the critical role of accurate financial data in Making BIG Happen, including real-world examples of how money management can either drive growth or unravel your company's culture.

Overview: When a company falls short of its goals, sales and marketing teams tend to point fingers at each other. Sales complains that marketing isn't delivering enough qualified leads. Marketing complains that sales isn't closing enough leads. And perceptive CEOs see a significant misalignment that threatens to drag down profits.

On today's show, Mike Morris discusses structural and analytical strategies CEOs can use to keep sales and marketing focused on reaching your target customers and Making BIG Happen. Mike also uses his time at Grasshopper as a case study in identifying a sales niche and firing test bullets to identify new opportunities for growth.

Overview: Recently, the tech and entertainment sectors have given us some high-profile examples of what happens when a company's culture degrades from a strength into a liability. CEOs have to be intentional and specific about building a culture that will generate value for all stakeholders, keep the company moving toward its targets, and, ultimately, Make BIG Happen. 

On today's show, Chris Dyer discusses what culture is, how leaders cultivate it, and how culture can drive or destroy growth.

Overview: The tools that allow business leaders to gain, increase, and retain their power are neutral. It's how you use those tools that determines how far others will be willing to follow you and how BIG your company will get. 

On today's show, Jeffrey Pfeffer discusses his 7 Rules of Power, how power is and isn't distributed through successful organizations and societies, and the choices we all have to make as we strive to Make BIG Happen. 

Overview: A nonprofit may not have the exact same goals as a for-profit business. But the principles of success are no different for a nonprofit CEO: have a vision that benefits all stakeholders, track, measure, and manage progress towards milestones every day, and assemble a team of people who care about your mission and will work hard to Make BIG Happen. 

On today's show, Mark Miller explains how he professionalized his nonprofit and grew the organization by more than 700% in seven years.

Overview: It's common for the top salesperson to get promoted to lead the sales team. But there's a big difference between being a top salesperson and being a great leader. How do the best sales people cross the chasm into leadership and lead their team to BIG results?

On today's show, Christian Stang discusses how his experience as a top-performing salesperson informs how he builds and manages collaborative sales teams. 

Overview: The best companies hire the best people, period. That means even if your tech firm isn't directly competing with Facebook and Google, you're still competing with Facebook and Google for top talent. To win that battle, growing companies need to get creative about how they build, compensate, and motivate their teams.

On today's show, Fred Joye discusses how companies can use outsourcing to scale their development teams with top software engineers and compete against BIG tech companies that have more resources. 

Overview: Thinking BIG is a mindset that, with practice, coaching, and follow-through, can become a powerful habit. Apply the same systems and processes to your business that you apply to sports, hobbies, personal challenges, and relationships, and there's no limit to what you can accomplish. 

On today's show, Siddhartha Agarwal discusses why he set a goal of swimming across the English Channel, how he worked with a coach and a partner on a year-long plan to achieve that goal, and what the whole process taught him about Making BIG Happen in both business and life.

Overview: CEOs can win the battle for top talent but still lose the war with their competitors if they don't have systems in place where A players can thrive. 

On today's show, Jonathan Cronstedt shares some contrarian takes on the relationship between the external and internal purposes of a business and the support that employees need to Make BIG Happen. 

Overview: A fast-growing company will only keep accelerating towards BIG if it has the right people working the right jobs. Sometimes CEOs can maintain that alignment with a mission and values system that inspires good performers to become great. In other cases, CEOs need the courage to make difficult decisions and the EQ to help folks exit the company as gracefully as possible. 

On today's show, Kurt Wilkin discusses how CEOs can avoid some common people challenges and assemble next-level teams that will Make BIG Happen. 

Quick Background: Saving a failing business is never just about driving up profit. A successful turnaround starts with recalibrating the company's accountability and its belief in Making BIG Happen together. 

On today's show, Ahmed Hassan discusses the three-step process he used to rescue distressed businesses all over the world, as well as a major personal challenge that forced him to redefine what success means in business and in life.

Overview: Business management fads come and go. But truly effective leadership applies tried-and-true principles in innovative ways that solve complex problems, inspire team members, and Make BIG Happen for the whole company.

On today's show, Prof. Cantor discusses the enduring qualities of great leadership and how to deal with the BIG challenges facing companies today.  

Overview: A scrappy entrepreneur who works hard and has a clear vision can take a company far. But he can only get the company to BIG if he learns how to scale his skills and the skills of key team members as the business continues to grow. 

On today's show, Ryan Iwamoto explains how he and his business partner bootstrapped their company for 13 years, navigated a profitable sale, and remained President and CEO under the new owners.

Overview: AI is poised to be the most disruptive business technology since the internet went mainstream. If your company doesn't have a plan to harness the transformative power of AI, you risk falling far behind your competition.

On today's show, Asha Saxena provides a practical, four-point framework that will help CEOs develop an ethical AI strategy and gather the data they need to win BIG in the latest leg of the tech arms race.

Overview: Delegation and communication are two essential skills that young leaders often struggle to master. Working with a seasoned CEO coach can open a new CEO's eyes to these blind spots sooner so that they can Make BIG Happen faster.

On today's show, Lionel Marumahoko opens up about how coaching helped him grow from a cocky 25-year-old into an effective senior leader at one of the most respected brands in the world. 

Quick Background: Since the beginning of the 2023 annual planning season, we've been coaching CEOs to plan for a volatile economy. Recession or not, this is no time to get complacent.

On today's show, Dan Smytka discusses specific strategies that will help you keep moving products, delivering services, and expanding your profit margins during challenging times.

Quick Background: Running a successful company is never easy. But it's certainly a lot more fun when the going is good. The true test of a CEO's skill comes when adversity strikes. How will you lead your company through an inflationary environment where your key customers can't afford what you're selling? How are you going to handle a round of painful but necessary layoffs? How will you pivot through the next global crisis none of us sees coming so that your company stays on track to Make BIG Happen?

On today's show, Alan Caslavka lays out his roadmap for responding to adversity, including lessons he learned from running an aeronautics firm while COVID had his entire industry grounded.

Quick Background: In business, as in sports, only extremely gifted high achievers make it to the BIG leagues. But in that rarified air, what separates the merely good from truly great?

On today's show, Jean-Louis Guillou digs into the mental aspects that drive peak performance across all disciplines and explains how CEOs can quiet the noise that could be preventing them from Making BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Fast-growing companies that maintain their growth aren't lucky. They're methodical. Their CEOs identify the metrics that drive long-term sustainable growth. They track, measure, and manage consistent progress toward targets. And they use inspiring storytelling to get key stakeholders invested in that march to BIG.

On today's show, Rick Kimball explains how to zero in on the numbers that matter the most and best practices for keeping your vision, systems, and people in sync.

Overview: Crisis management isn't a question of If. It's a question of When. CEOs who haven't anticipated what could get in the way are especially vulnerable to one customer service slip-up, one tone deaf memo that leaks, one disgruntled ex-employee, or one resurfaced social media post that hasn't aged well. And in a world where cancel culture is running wild, forgiveness from key stakeholders can be hard to come by. 

On today's show, Evan Nierman explains why every CEO needs to have a crisis management plan at the ready so that your next emergency is just a blip on the way to BIG. 

Overview: You can turbocharge your hiring results when you combine top talent with corporate alignment--talent who align with your purpose, team culture, values, best practices, and long-term vision. 

On today's show, Max Hansen explains how talent and purpose alignment can Make BIG Happen faster and help CEOs rekindle the passion that drives top performance. 

Overview: The story your company tells about itself can be an important part of your brand, your history, and your culture. But companies can also become so wrapped up in their stories that they lose sight of everything they're capable of accomplishing.

On today's show, Tom Asacker discusses the power and limitations of your business' story and how CEOs can rewrite their narratives to Make BIG Happen. 

Overview: When Jarrod Johnson joined TaskUs in 2016, the firm had about $70 million in revenue. Today, TaskUs is nearing $1 billion in annual sales and counts world-class companies like Uber and Meta among its clients.

On today's show, Jarrod explains the "systems building" approach he used to help drive such remarkable growth, including how he recruits and trains top talent, aligns his sales team to goals and best practices, and promotes a culture of positivity. 

Overview: A friend calls, offering you a CFO position out in California. You move your family across the country, thinking this job will provide a relaxing glide path from your 50s to retirement. But then you find out the firm is losing money, the culture is "every man for himself," and when a health issue forces the CEO to retire, suddenly you're sitting in the BIG office ... just as a pandemic breaks out.

On today's show, Rick Weber explains how working with a CEO coach helped him to engineer a major turnaround at his company and in his personal life that's put him on the path to BIG growth.

Overview: Your company can only grow as fast as you and your team are growing. If you hit a roadblock that you just can't clear, the third-party perspective of a mentor or CEO coach could be essential to helping you break through. 

On today's show, Brendan Neef discusses how working with CEO Coaching International accelerated his growth into a leader who can make tough choices, establish better plans, build a stronger team, and Make BIG Happen.

Overview: In many cases, the most challenging step in a successful business sale is the first: deciding that now is the right time to sell. Once you've identified favorable market conditions or an optimal partner, the CEO has to clarify her objectives and build out the support team she needs to prepare herself and her company for its next BIG chapter.

On today's show, Jennifer Wilson explains why, after turning down suitors for years, she finally decided to sell her company, as well as the nuts and bolts strategy that she implemented. Jennifer also shares a personal story of overcoming adversity that was formative to her entrepreneurial drive and determination.

Quick Background: Whether you're trying to grow a business or lower your handicap, even the most driven and talented people eventually hit a wall. That's where folks who are too proud or too blind to their own limitations often sputter and stall. But working with a coach can help you break through those walls, shore up your weaknesses, and identify the actionable, measurable steps that will lead to sustained personal and professional growth.

On today's show, Mark Moses shares what he's learned about Making BIG Happen from both sides of a coaching relationship, as well as his most memorable moments from our 2022 Make BIG Happen Summit in Miami Beach.

Overview: There's an old saying about entrepreneurs: They've never met an idea they didn't like. But an openness to what's exciting and new can also get between you and BIG.

On today's show, serial entrepreneur Daniel Shemtob discusses the thought process that led him to pare down from five businesses to one so that he could focus on his most promising opportunity, grow as a leader, and Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Leading a business to BIG can sometimes feel like an all-consuming mission. But the best CEOs never forget that there is life outside of the c-suite. And they draw on lessons from their personal passions, relationships, and experiences to grow as leaders.

On today's show, Kelly Wade walks us through her journey to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and the connection between having an adventurous spirit and succeeding in business and life.

Waterstone Human Capital is a Strategic Partner of CEO Coaching International.

Overview: A strong culture doesn't just create a happy workplace -- it can be a significant competitive advantage, especially in the battle for top talent and repeat customers. 

On today's show, Marty Parker provides a deep dive on the specific, intentional ways that CEOs can transform culture and create a high-performing organization that attracts and retains the best people. 

In this conversation, recorded live at the 2019 CEO Coaching Summit, Josh talked about how he kept cool during all this adversity and focused on a plan that pivoted his company to BIG. Josh also describes how turning around his original company and zeroing in on one key strategy prepared him to run a billion-dollar business.

On today's show Heidi Smith, Chief Marketing Officer of CEO Coaching International, previews our signature event, which will be BIGGER than ever with over 500+ CEOs gathering in one place for multiple days of stimulating networking and learning. Previously, the Summit was only open to CEO Coaching International clients; however, this year the firm is welcoming applications for any qualifying CEO interested in attending.

Heidi and our podcast host Steve Sanduski, also share some tips for getting the most out of a conference and reminisce about their favorite speakers at past Make BIG Happen Summits. 

Quick Background: A well-run SaaS business can generate steady recurring revenue at high gross margins with low customer churn and minimal R&D costs. But even in our increasingly digital world, scaling SaaS poses some unique challenges that require both top-notch tech and a personal touch.

On today's show, Patrick Eldon discusses five keys to scaling a SaaS business, including the strategies and key metrics CEOs should follow all the way to BIG growth.

Quick Background: Any business that wants to get BIG needs cash. And while taking on private equity investment can help the CEO accelerate a growth trajectory, streamline ownership positions, and prepare for an exit, don't underestimate the amount of work that goes into finding the right investment partner. Your whole company might not be for sale, but your company should always be salable. The investments you make now in your leadership team, infrastructure, and long-term strategic planning will only improve your value when you sit down with interested parties.

On today's show, Aakash Shah reflects on how his efforts to stabilize and grow his family's business paid off with two private equity rounds and a BIG a nine-figure exit.

On today's show Angela Korompilas explains how she led her hotel operating supplies and equipment provider to 10X growth and $1 billion in revenue.

Quick Background: Learning to unplug from your company and separate life from business is an essential CEO skill. But how does a leader continue to lead through a loss so catastrophic that it completely upends your responsibilities, your priorities, and your very sense of self?

On today's show, Frank de Jong discusses what he learned about resilience, fatherhood, friendship, and leadership while coping with the loss of his wife.

Quick Background: An effective brand fills customers with positive vibes and projects crystal clarity about what a company does and what it stands for. Whether a company is starting up, scaling rapidly, or recovering from a stumble, that brand also has to maintain a careful balance between consistency and adaptability so that customers want to stick with the business on its journey to BIG.

On today's show, Steve Patterson details the specific brand initiatives he executed for four professional sports teams and a university, and how CEOs can apply the lessons from his experiences to make any brand better.

Quick Background: There are no shortcuts to getting BIG faster. CEOs who scale ahead of schedule follow the same tried-and-true best practices that support any effective annual plan. But the best CEOs also know which buttons to push to keep motivation high and how to leverage talent and systems to achieve just a little bit more every single day.

On today's show, Meghan Watkins reflects on the 5 factors that helped her quickly scale her businesses from startup to $100M+ in revenue.

Quick Background: Great leadership balances confidence in your company's current reality with a hopeful vision for the future that inspires the best from your team.

On today's show, John Fadool shares his five keys to providing the kind of inspiring leadership that drives massive growth, attracts top talent, and keeps Making BIG Happen.

Quick Background: Our proven Making BIG Happen System combines BIG vision with an actionable plan. You can't have one without the other and expect to grow. And the foundation of effective planning is a battle-ready balance sheet that will ground your goals and keep your company from growing broke. 

On today's show, Randy Dewey discusses how to identify the KPIs, the obstacles, the opportunities, and the team members you need to build your best balance sheet.

Quick Background: The true measure of a CEO's strategy isn't if his or her plan leads to BIG growth in a year or two. It's if the CEO's combination of vision, processes, people, and discipline can snowball into sustained growth year after year after year.

On today's show, Shep Moyle explains how he led his company to average 20% growth for 20 consecutive years.

Overview: As CEO, it's a given that you have tremendous influence over your employees.  But many CEOs never reflect on how they're using that influence. True leadership isn't throwing your weight around and creating a culture ruled by fear of failure. Leadership is how the CEO expresses his or her purpose, values, and vision to the entire organization. The more inspiring that leadership model is, the more motivated your team will be to Make BIG Happen. 

On today's show, Sean Magennis shares his five pillars for effective leadership, whose complementary themes will help you integrate the hard skills of running a company with the art of leading effectively.

Overview: No CEO is ever just handed the top job at a BIG business. Founders put all of their time, effort, and resources on the line. Successful hired guns spend years earning their reputations as fixers. And ambitious leaders who pursue a path to promotion have to set clear targets that build win-by-win towards that dream job. 

On today's show, Jennifer Gressman talks about how she purposefully navigated her transition from Vice President of Operations to become Site Impact's first female CEO.

Overview: CEOs who lead a company to BIG aren't just growing a business. Your success is also creating a better life for yourself and your family. Without proper asset protection planning, a single slip up or frivolous lawsuit could jeopardize everything you've earned, everything you've built, and everything you're hoping to preserve as part of your legacy.

On today's show, attorney Hillel Presser explains what a comprehensive asset protection plan is and why all CEOs need one. 

Overview: Think COVID was rough? When your company is strong enough to survive for 150 years, a pandemic (or two) is just one blip on a timeline that includes Reconstruction, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, two World Wars, the Great Depression, and everything since. That kind of longevity is only possible when a company knows how to use its values as both an anchor to its heritage and a catalyst for keeping pace with BIG changes. 

On today's show, Bill Betts talks about the values that have guided his family business for six generations. He also shares some practical advice on maintaining ownership and succession planning that have helped the family business stay in the family's hands. 

STS Capital Partners is a Strategic Partner of CEO Coaching International. Learn more. 

Overview: When it's time to sell your company, what are your options? What can you do to ensure you get the best possible exit?

Step one: put the best possible team together. A deal this BIG and this important requires a CFO who's been down this road before, an investment banker who knows how to get the best possible valuation for your company, and a CEO who is crystal clear on what his/her goals are for the exit. 

On today's show, Andy Harris explains how owners can prepare their company for a sale, present it in the best possible light, and sell it to a strategic buyer who might pay a significant premium over a financial buyer.

On today's show, Chris Mellon explains the 4 things he focused on as a hired gun CEO leading a family-run business from $300 million in revenue to almost $4 billion.

Quick Background: Working with a CEO coach gives you access to decades of top-level knowledge from business leaders who have been there and done that. And while no two companies are exactly alike, combining tried-and-true best practices with discipline and accountability is a formula that leads to winning, exponential growth, and Making BIG Happen.

On today's show, Frank Buonanotte shares the 7 Smarts to CEO Success that he used to lead companies in multiple industries to BIG.

Quick Background: Did you wake up this morning wanting to lead a single-digit growth company? Didn't think so. Exponential growth is the product of an empowering sales culture that stokes competitive flames and rewards top performers who aren't content to clear the low bar.

On today's show, Ken Eissing discusses six ways CEOs can assemble, manage, and motivate a top sales team that will drive fast growth and Make BIG Happen.

Quick Background: According to a study by McKinsey & Company, the top 10% of the largest companies in the world earn nearly 90% of the economic profit created. Meanwhile, the bottom 20% are coping with steep losses. That translates into a BIG opportunity for small-to-medium-sized companies that can leverage speed and creativity to compete with larger incumbents.

On today's show, Juergen Rochert identifies five areas where smaller firms can compete and win market share if they follow an effective plan.

Maybe. But when it comes to setting targets and measuring progress, a growing company needs to establish a baseline of consistency to ensure that every level of the organization is working towards the same goals.

On today's show, Mateo Romano explains the four elements of alignment that will keep a BIG decentralized team progressing towards your BIG vision.

Quick Background: No company gets BIG by staying the same. At those moments when momentum is stalling and growth is plateauing, struggling CEOs often start chasing shiny objects or throwing money at the wall to see what sticks. Effective leaders face those same challenges by going back to square one and reassessing what's essential to the company's culture.

On today's show, Andres Molano shares a five-part framework CEOs can use to drive a BIG culture transformation that will kick off a promising new chapter for their companies.

Quick Background: Optimizing how to effectively communicate in a decentralized workforce world should be near the top of every CEO's to-do list for the remainder of the year. Many of your best workers consider WFH a non-negotiable now. Your next key hire might live on the other side of the world from your headquarters. And if you're contemplating an international expansion, you'll need to keep your whole team Making BIG Happen across time zones, language barriers, and cultural differences.

Quick Background: The pandemic showed many CEOs that they were taking their supply chain management for granted. To keep your business growing through the next disruption, CEOs need to reassess their core competencies and identify strategies that will keep their warehouses stocked and their customers happy.

On today's show, Francisco D'Angelo explains how companies can make their supply chains more resilient, more efficient, and more profitable.

Quick Background: For many entrepreneurs, becoming the CEO is a natural -- and often necessary -- extension of leading a new company from startup to BIG. For others, becoming a CEO is the culmination of a journey from the ground floor of a business all the way up to the C-suite that develops character, skillsets, perseverance, and a unique appreciation for how high-performing teams work.

On today's show, Kelly Wade discusses the accumulation of work and life experience that helped her grow into a successful and trailblazing CEO. 

Quick Background: The pandemic forced many companies to accelerate their online pivots. Now, it's time to start preparing for the next phase of your digital transformation. Web 3.0 could decentralize pieces of the global economy and create rapid advances in AI and data acquisition. And however you want to define "metaverse," there's no denying that your customers are going to increasingly live, shop, and play online. On today's show, Pascal Brochier reflects on lessons he learned during the first wave of online growth in the early 2000s to point CEOs towards a BIG digital future.

Strategic Partner: Carson Wealth is a Strategic Partner of CEO Coaching International. To learn more, visit here. 

Overview: You're spending countless hours thinking about your business, working in your business, but how much time are you spending on effectively managing all the money that you're earning from your business or from that windfall that could come from a significant exit? Much like a good executive coach can help CEOs develop better business plans, Ron and Paul discuss how to think about your income and wealth, how to put it in perspective, and how to make sure you have a proactive wealth plan for your money so you don't have to worry about it. 

Quick Background: In 2016, Mark Moses' book Make BIG Happen asked CEOs four questions that can transform businesses:

What do you want?
How do you get what you want?
What could stand in the way of you getting what you want?
How do you hold yourself accountable?

Now, Mark and three of his colleagues at CEO Coaching International have expanded upon that framework and detailed the proven system that we use to help CEOs achieve exponential growth.

"Our clients kept asking us, what is it that leads some firms to sell their businesses for nine figures or more," Mark says. "We wrestled down the rhythms and concepts of this execution framework to help companies perform at the highest level."

Their new book, Making BIG Happen, debuted at #5 on The Wall Street Journal hardcover business bestseller list and hit #1 on Porchlight Book Company's best seller list. On today's show, Mark, Don, Craig, and Chris dig into how the Making BIG Happen System works, client success stories, and the leadership mindset that separates so-so companies from the ones that grow BIG.

Overview: BIG growth sometimes requires spending BIG cash. And if you don't want to give up equity to get the cash, what are your options? On today's show, Chris Hurn explains the debt financing options CEOs should explore before they start breaking off chunks of equity that they may regret parting with in the future. 

On today's show, Bill Brady explains three keys to developing a company that can keep Making BIG Happen while the CEO is living life to the fullest. And in terms of Making BIG Happen, Bill sold his company at age 41 for more than $100 million. 

Overview: Where the best companies start out is often very different from where they end up. Sasha Kelberg began his career working in Latvia for a U.S.-based private equity firm that was developing glass coatings with ex-Soviet technology. After spinning the glass business off into its own company, Sasha expanded Groglass from its Latvian base into an international company that's now one of the leading developers and manufacturers of high-performance coatings for glass and other displays. And, with the help of his CEO coach, Sasha executed this expansion so well that he's able to oversee operations and 200 employees from his new home in South Africa. On today's show, Sasha discusses the decisions he made during several key pivot points that allowed his company to survive the Great Recession and identify new niches around the globe.  

On today's show, Mic Feld explains how direct response TV advertising works and how you can use an insider's knowledge to get great results regardless of your budget.

Overview: Some entrepreneurs look at a market dominated by two or three major players and see an insurmountable barrier to entry. Others see a stagnant business space that's vulnerable to new thinking and BIG disruption. On today's show, LeAnn Boyd describes how she and her entrepreneur coach, Jaime Cohen Szulc, used our Making BIG Happen System to create a culture of innovation that redefined her company's value proposition and grabbed the attention of her target customer base.

Quick Background: What is the difference between selling your company and selling BIG? Preparation. CEOs eying an exit start planning to reach that finish line years in advance so that they can optimize both their businesses and that future opportunity. That longer runway also helps the CEO prepare for a major personal and professional transition once the sale is complete.

On today's show, Earle Pratt shares a five-step process that CEOs aiming for a sale should adopt sooner rather than later.

Quick Background: Think you have problems managing, compensating, and inspiring your team? Well, imagine your workforce is more than 11,000 strong, you're overseeing a $37 billion budget, and both you and your organization are responsible for supporting the operation of the U.S. federal government.

On today's show, Emily Murphy discuses the specific strategies and tactics that she implemented within the GSA that led to BIG improvements in culture, employee engagement, and leadership scores, all while generating multi-billion-dollar increases in sales and revenue.

Quick Background: No, "growing broke" isn't a contradiction in terms. It's what happens when a CEO's eyes get so wide that she loses perspective on what made the company special in the first place. Without that clear focus on what's really driving your growth, your business could wander off track and burn cash with every wayward step.

On today's show, Kevin Adams describes a four-part framework for achieving rapid growth that's centered on the "secret sauce" your company needs to make BIG happen.

Quick Background: If a struggling company is in need of a turnaround, usually the CEO needs to execute a personal turnaround too. That doesn't mean completely changing who you are as a leader. But it does mean that you'll need to place a renewed emphasis on certain leadership traits in order to reorganize and reenergize your company before a bump in the road turns into a gaping pit.

On today's show, Odmar Almeida-Filho explains the five-part roadmap he's used both as a CEO and as an entrepreneur coach to execute successful turnarounds that set struggling companies back on track.

Quick Background: If sales are falling short, then your salespeople must be falling short. Right?

Only if you hired the wrong salespeople to begin with. Assuming you're putting a premium on matching top candidates to your company's specific needs, it could be your processes and training that need an overhaul.

On today's show, CEO Coaching International's Jerry Swain shares his four-step process for getting the best out of your existing salespeople and preparing your incoming wave of talent to hit the ground running.

Overview: There's a point in every growing company's lifecycle where you've achieved product-market fit and it's time to scale your business and expand your executive team. At this moment, a growing business is staring at both maximum opportunity and maximum risk. Try to grow too fast without the right people in your C-suite, and you could "grow broke." Aim too low and you might be missing your moment to achieve something really BIG.

On today's show, Douglas DeBoer walks us through his four-part framework for effectively navigating these critical moments and scaling your business.

Overview: Effective CEOs have systems, plans, and analytics that manage and measure nearly every aspect of their businesses. But many don't have a system for guiding the company's culture, which is arguably the most significant driver of BIG growth. On today's show, culture expert David Friedman explains how to build a powerful cultural operating system that replaces all those inspirational break room posters with a set of defined, teachable behaviors.

Overview: People are not persuaded by information. An honest, well-crafted story that makes an audience feel something can make a lasting impression for both you and your business. Whether you're speaking at a conference or addressing your staff on Zoom, effective storytelling that showcases who you really are and gives your audience opportunities to engage with your main themes is key to connecting, inspiring, and making BIG happen.

Overview: Why are so many companies struggling to fill vacancies? According to hiring expert Kurt Wilkin, businesses that are stuck in a pre-pandemic mindset have to improve their value propositions and get creative about attracting the best talent. And just as importantly, CEOs have to demonstrate to prospective candidates that their passions run deeper than just turning a profit.

Overview: Failure hurts. But according to Lloyd Brown -- who was fired from a company he co-founded -- if a CEO is humble enough to admit mistakes, hold himself accountable, and work on improving blind spots, failure can also grant wisdom that you can use to make BIG happen going forward.

Episode in a Tweet: In business and sports, aligning the best players with a great gameplan is the only way to win BIG.

Quick Background: Business is a team sport. And the very best teams use strong culture and clearly defined goals to put great players in a position to win consistently.

On today's show, Matt Shearer explains how his experience as an athlete and sports brand executive influenced his leadership philosophy and team management strategies.

On today's show, Gordon Forsythe discusses how to vet and hire talent who will succeed within your culture and execute the tasks that will make BIG happen for your firm.

Luis Vargas was 60 pounds overweight and running on empty when he decided he needed to make self-care a BIG priority. On today's show, Luis shares the five elements he says he needed to win in order to transform his body, his mind, his business, and his life.

Overview: The millions of jobs lost to the COVID-19 pandemic have created a problem that many companies weren't anticipating: as the world begins reopening, the absolute best displaced workers have lots of options. Your total value proposition has to encompass culture, leadership opportunities, hybrid work models, and, yes, a competitive comp structure if you want to attract top talent.

But in any business challenge there's also opportunity. If you can connect tried-and-true values with a new, more connected worldview, your employees will continually learn from each other, gain new skills and perspectives, and move your company in exciting new directions.

On today's show, Lew Jaffe shares how to effectively manage a multigenerational workforce towards BIG.

On today's show, Kerry discusses how she conquered her struggles with substance abuse and started to make BIG happen in her life and work.

On today's show, Greg Fricks explains how his company implemented the annual planning process, the lessons they learned, and how this ongoing process has set them up for continued success.

Episode in a Tweet: Going global could jump start your trajectory towards BIG.

Quick Background: The smaller your business is, the more vulnerable it is -- to customer attrition, to supply chain disruption, to ambitious competitors, or to fallout from a global pandemic. Now that you've completed your digital pivot, the size of your potential customer base is limited only by the scope and quality of your sales strategy. A little extra bandwidth and an office in an emerging market stocked with triple-A talent might be all you need to grow your business into an international success.

On today's show, Rafael Paniagua shares 4 keys to running a global business and how to make BIG happen by expanding geographically.

On today's show, Douglas DeBoer shares five things every first-time CEO should be prepared to do to set up their company, their team, and themselves for BIG success.

That is, as long as the CEO has a clearly defined plan and enough resilience to tackle whatever unforeseen problems are around the corner.

On today's show, CEO Coaching International's Jeff Bledsoe explains how he led his food processing startup through the fire -- literally -- to $200 million in revenue and a BIG exit.

On today's show, John Giegerich shares five ways that businesses that have a solid foundation in place can take that next step and empower their sales force to deepen client relationships and generate BIG sales. 

On today's show, Bruce Bowser shares the key steps entrepreneurs and CEOs can take to take back their time and develop personal and work mastery.

On today's show, Mike Klaus shares a five-step process for defining, planning, executing, and reviewing your tech investments to make sure they're giving your margins, service, and efficiency a BIG boost.

Episode in a Tweet: This mortgage company's in-house "university" trains top talent to deliver pandemic-proof customer service.

Quick Background: A generation ago, why were aspiring communication pros desperate to work at CBS? Why was Ogilvy top of the list for young advertisers? Why did IBM and Hewlett-Packard hoard top talent in the tech and sales sectors?

These companies weren't just industry leaders. They were leaders because of their legendary training programs. The best college graduates knew that once they'd "graduated" from those programs, they'd have the skills to excel either in-house or just about anywhere else they wanted to work.

Of course, CEOs who make training central to their culture are the biggest beneficiaries of this kind of investment in talent-building. On today's show, Rob Posner explains how NewDay USA recruits, trains, and develops an exceptional workforce.

Episode in a Tweet: Strong leaders draw on their feelings and experiences to "arrive ready" when faced with adversity.

Quick Background: As the calendar flips over to 2021, COVID-19 vaccines are starting to roll out across the U.S. It's looking more and more likely that life and business might start to feel normal again by the second half of next year.

So ... What's next?

Even if we are able to put the pandemic in the rearview mirror soon, experienced CEOs know that the next major roadblock is just around the corner. Is your business ready to pivot and accelerate through a coming disruption? Is your culture strong enough to absorb a sudden personnel change? Will you be able to lead your company effectively if a personal problem puts new demands on your time and emotional well-being?

On today's show, Rekha Skantharaja describes how she has learned to "arrive ready" for any challenge. She also talks about how being open about her personal challenges has helped her to develop into a more inspiring and relatable leader.

Episode in a Tweet: Will a crisis break your business or open up a new path towards BIG?

Quick Background: The scale of Covid-19's disruption to global life and business is unprecedented. But if you think back ten years, the experts were saying the same thing about the Great Recession. Go back another ten and we were coping with the fallout from 9/11 and the tech bubble bursting. A previous generation of leaders had to struggle through Black Monday, just as their predecessors had to deal with stagflation in the 1970s.

The pandemic environment may well be more daunting than these previous challenges. But good business is good business, no matter what the particulars are. Companies that are still struggling to regain their footing during Covid-19 can adapt strategies that helped CEOs win during previous crises to this difficult moment.

On today's show, Geoff Goldwater shares the three-step process he used to reinvent his company after the Great Recession and lead it back to a fast growth path.

On today's show, Jeff Tennyson shares his three-step framework for stepping into a founder CEO's shoes while still making the job your own.

On today's show, Kevin Hamilton discusses the five key adjustments his high-touch company made to keep its culture and its business thriving.

On today's show, Luc Stang discusses a four-step process for bolt-on acquisitions that can make BIG happen with minimal risk and cash outlay.

Episode in a Tweet: These four tips will help your business to stop merely surviving and start thriving again.

Quick Background: Andy Grove, the former Chairman and CEO of Intel, famously said, "Bad companies are destroyed by crisis. Good companies survive them. Great companies are improved by them."

Much like the 2008 recession, the pandemic is exposing structural inefficiencies and stagnant thinking that many businesses were blind to while the global economy was charging ahead. Companies that have merely survived Covid-19 so far need to turn a corner, start planning, and get back to growing before "holding steady" turns into flatlining.

Today's guest, Ryan Iwamoto, has successfully navigated both the Great Recession and Covid-19. He co-founded 24 Hour Home Care in 2008--during the heart of the Great Recession--with a $160,000 investment. Thanks to his decisive leadership throughout 2020, the company is on track to do over $115 million in revenue this year, despite operating in an industry that's been hit hard by the pandemic.

Episode in a Tweet: A first-class onboarding process will make a BIG first impression on your new team member.

Quick Background: Most companies have it backward. They celebrate when someone leaves the company instead of when they join.

On today's show, Jamil Nizam explains how his first-class onboarding process eased new COO Chris Lauret into his responsibilities while also giving him a new perspective on just what kind of company he was working for. Chris and Jamil also discuss how they coordinate and execute key tasks remotely so that BIG keeps happening, even at a distance.

And then Covid-19 hit. With indoor dining suddenly off the menu, Chris and his team had to make a major pivot that would allow them to sustain the business through the pandemic while also laying the groundwork for a successful future.

On today's show, Chris Gannon explains how transparent leadership, all-hands-on-deck teamwork, and a commitment to community building have kept Bolay on track to make BIG happen.

Episode in a Tweet: Strong culture and a commitment to BIG values can keep your business growing through the pandemic.

Quick Background: CEOs have discovered that the culture they created before Covid-19 is playing a BIG role in how well their companies are moving through the pandemic environment. Rearranging the nuts and bolts of what you do is a heck of a lot easier if you have a clear vision of why you're doing it, as well as strong values supporting every person and process.

On today's show, Fiona Kesby discusses how her principles have guided her virtual assistant firm through not just a Covid-19 disruption, but a full military lockdown by the Philippine government that's one of the longest quarantines in the whole world.

Episode in a Tweet: Covid-19 disruption has created a richer than usual talent pool. Take advantage and upgrade your team where you need it the most.

Quick Background: At the beginning of the year, CEOs were exploring every available option to find top talent during a very tight labor market. The workplace disruption that Covid-19 caused has changed that. If you need to fill an important leadership position in your company right now, the pool of available talent is deeper than it's been in quite some time. But don't think that means making a key hire is going to be easier. On the contrary, CEOs have to be even more careful that they're not letting sterling resumes and shiny smiles distract them from what's most important: hiring someone who is going to buy into your vision, enhance your culture, and help your company make BIG happen.

On today's show, Kurt Wilkin discusses effective strategies for sourcing talent and the key considerations CEOs need to make when weighing short-term needs versus long-term goals.

Episode in a Tweet: There's always a crisis somewhere. The best leaders have a continuous planning process and the right people to execute it.

Quick Background: When Stephen Bebis joined Home Depot in 1984 the company had just 14 stores. When he left in 1990, he was running a $20 billion division as a head merchant and was the VP of the southern part of the country. And while some might look back on the '80s and early '90s as a booming time for business, think about everything that happened during the 6 years that Stephen helped Home Depot grow. Two presidential elections. Black Monday, 1987. Tumult in the Middle East, including Russia's invasion of Afghanistan. Not to mention annual hurricane seasons and other unpredictable disasters.

No, running a business isn't easy during Covid-19. But as Stephen discusses on today's show, CEOs always have to be prepared to adjust to unforeseen circumstances and refocus their efforts on how to satisfy and grow their customer base.

No matter how delighted your customers are when your products and services deliver as advertised, at some point, a shipment will get buried in a blizzard, software will crash, a green employee will say the wrong thing at the worst time … or a global pandemic will disrupt your supply chain.

According to customer service expert Matt Dixon, how your company addresses those bumps in the road is far more critical to generating customer loyalty than all those perfect, positive experiences the customer might be taking for granted.

On today's episode, Matt discusses some insights from his book "The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty" that will help you refocus your customer service on what really creates lasting repeat business: quick problem solving and ease of use.

Does that sound counter-intuitive?

Well, it worked for Abraham Lincoln. Our greatest president famously assembled a "team of rivals" in his cabinet because he wanted to work with smart people who would challenge – and improve – his thinking.

So what does your "cabinet" look like? Is your C-suite full of Yes Men and Yes Women? Have you created an atmosphere where your best people are afraid to challenge you with their best ideas?

Either situation can be fatal to a company's growth, especially in today's uncertain and rapidly fluctuating economy. Right now, every business leader is being challenged to think outside the box and find innovative solutions to today's unprecedented problems. In this podcast, Gerry Perkel describes how building a team that disagrees with you can help a CEO not only tackle the challenges that COVID-19 presents, but successfully grow their business to new heights.

On today's show, CEO Coaching International's Tracy Tolbert lays out a more practical managed growth strategy that will get your company BIG without sacrificing profitability.

Like cutting the ad budget when you have to reduce costs, CEOs often push learning to the back burner in favor of higher-profile things like casting a vision or visiting top clients. And while vision and meeting clients are critical, so too is taking the time to learn and stay on top of the latest changes sweeping the business world. Setting aside that time might feel indulgent when we know there are projects to monitor, books to balance, and teams to manage.

On today's show, CEO Coaching International's David Sun explains why self-improvement isn't selfish – it's essential to mastering your space, inspiring your team, and growing your business BIG.

In her career as an entrepreneur and executive, Ramona Capello earned a reputation for breathing life back into dying businesses. On today's show, she explains why companies of all sizes hit the wall and how the best CEOs break through and start growing again.

On today's show, former Samsung NeuroLogica CEO Phil Sullivan discusses a three-step process he used at Samsung that will keep your company's growth and the size of your addressable market in sync.

Smart companies are thinking more broadly and more globally about how to solve this pain point. But lingering misconceptions about offshoring can discourage CEOs from investigating what could be a talent gold mine.

On today's episode, Chris Van Vladricken answers all your questions about offshoring including: service options, the hiring process, costs, and how the nuts-and-bolts infrastructure works to keep your local employees and remote workers in sync.

How?

One: make sure your employee compensation package is stellar.

Two: make sure you're not so busy shopping in the same crowded talent pool that you're overlooking other ways to hire the best performers for the jobs you need done.

Mastering number two is a BIG reason Jim Bennett grew Unishippers from 0 to $120 million. In this conversation, recorded live at the 6th Annual CEO Coaching International Summit held in Santa Monica, CA, Jim and coach Don Schiavone discuss how Jim recruited unconventional employees and then trained them up into a major differentiator between his company and the competition.

Thanks to Cyrus Sigari, we can add flying cars to our list. And if you think that sounds far-fetched, think again. According to Cyrus, heavy hitters like Google, Uber, Boeing, and Airbus are all battling to be first to market with small, affordable aircraft that are as easy to drive as a car. This space is going to explode sooner rather than later, and the implications for all businesses could be huge.

But I'm so proud that our Summit is also a place where CEOs can learn from leaders like Cyrus, whose personal story is maybe more amazing than the work he's doing. His family fled the Iranian Revolution in 1979, and as he grew up in the States, Cyrus fell in love with aviation. He learned to fly while he was a teenager and started his company right out of college.

Then, a series of personal challenges led Cyrus on a spiritual journey that's helped him redefine everything he does in business and in life.

In this presentation, recorded live at the 6th Annual CEO Coaching International Summit held in Santa Monica, CA, Cyrus Sigari talks about how he arrived at his Most Transformative Purposes, and how all CEOs have to step outside of their businesses if they truly want to make BIG happen.

But some of the most successful companies that we work with at CEO Coaching International are the ones that have a vision beyond profit. They're the companies that are actively asking employees what's important to them. They're turning down huge cash infusions from celebrity investors because they believe their products can improve the environment. They're finding innovative new ways to let employees earn ownership and grow their personal wealth. And they're being intentional about how they build their legacies.

On today's show, we welcome back Kerry Siggins to discuss the grassroots efforts she's undertaken to promote a global safety movement in her industry. Starting a movement definitely isn't for every CEO. But it's leaders like Kerry who are leading their employees and their businesses towards BIG things beyond the business.

On today's episode, Mark Moses walks us thorough those six exercises and explains how his own responses have shaped his approach to legacy planning. Mark also shares FREE tools that CEOs and entrepreneurs can download right now that will help you think about how you are living your life and what you may want to do differently to create a lasting legacy.

One way to do that? Let your employees earn some real ownership.

Top young talents want to feel like they're a real part of the companies they work for. More and more CEOs are setting up Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) to provide that incentive, that motivation, and that feeling of being a part of something BIGGER than profit.

On today's show, Adam and Jason Svet discuss the business and culture fit issues that CEOs who are interested in an ESOP should consider. They also talk about the nuts and bolts process of setting up an ESOP and how going through the process helped them to put their company's values in action and get their employees thinking and working BIG.

"Technology is only 10% of the experience," says customer service expert John DiJulius, while your person who delivers the service is the other 90%. "Technology can never build a rapport, show empathy, or make a brilliant comeback when we drop the ball, but you can," he said.

Many businesses are trying to de-emphasize the importance of the employee and replace them with chat bots and AI. But that technology will never outperform a well-trained human who steps in when your customer needs personalized help.

In this presentation, recorded live at the 2019 CEO Coaching International Summit, John DiJulius explains how you can train your team to own every problem, make meaningful connections with every customer, and create a world-class customer experience that will drive BIG business.

On today's episode, recorded live at the 6th Annual CEO Coaching International Summit held in Santa Monica, CA, Emma Cohen and her coach, Chris Larkins, discuss where she got the courage to make such a difficult call and stand her ground against the sharks. Fans of "Shark Tank" are going to enjoy Emma's  behind-the-scenes peek at how the show really works. But the lessons Emma learned are going to help all entrepreneurs who are fine-tuning their pitches and deciding how much an injection of much-needed cash is really worth.

Then, when he was studying at the University of Nebraska, Ron read a magazine article about becoming a Certified Financial Planner®.

Thirty years later, Carson Wealth is one of the BIGGEST names in finance. And I'm proud to say that my good friend Ron Carson is a person who runs his business and his life with a passion we should all try to emulate.

In this special episode, recorded live at the 2019 CEO Coaching Summit, Ron Carson discusses how his family's hardships motivated him to push past fear, figure out his "Why," and dedicate himself to things he loves doing.

On today's show, Todd Bavol and Megan Couch of Integrity Staffing Solutions give some important tips on how to make your company a preferred destination for top talent.

I should know – I was in that forum!

Fast forward to 2019, and Josh is in charge of a company that was recently purchased for $2 billion.

In this conversation, recorded live at the 2019 CEO Coaching Summit, Josh and I talked about how he kept cool during all this adversity and focused on a plan that pivoted his company to BIG. Josh also describes how turning around his original company and zeroing in on one key strategy prepared him to run a billion-dollar business.

On today's show, Cole Zucker discusses those early years of explosive growth in terms of what he learned and what he would do differently. He also shares a couple of great insights on what he did to overcome a major challenge that he hit in the company's early days.

In this special episode, recorded live at the 2019 CEO Coaching Summit, Sarah Dusek talks with her coach, Sheldon Harris, about her incredible journey, the importance of resilience, and how staying true to her company's values helped her guide Under Canvas around some potential potholes and stay on course for BIG.

On today's show, Jaime Szulc shares the steps you can take to position your company so it's on the giving end of disruption, not the receiving end. Jaime also discusses some warning signs he spotted during the end of his tenure at Kodak that all CEOs should be on the lookout for if they want to avoid a similar fate.

On today's show, Rafe Wilkinson shares three key steps to accelerate your growth in the government contracting space – including an ingenious acquisition strategy that Rafe has seen get BIG results.

On today's show, Mike Marchi discusses how building and maintaining a strong brand can lead to higher profits for your company. He also shares some key lessons on leadership he learned from working under Jack Welch.

But whether you're looking to buy or sell, it's critical that you and your team don't get too caught up in the excitement of the opportunity. CEOs who chase acquisitions like they're shiny new things to collect risk stretching themselves too thin. A smaller business that wants to sell quick might be too focused on a payday and not as attentive to all the fine print that's attached to it. A careful consideration of strategy, partner fit, and your long-term goals either inside or outside of this new entity should be what drives this process.

On today's show, Jim Weaver outlines a well-planned, seven-step acquisition process that will help ensure proper execution, strong growth, and BIG profitability.

On today's show, Alberto Carvalho outlines a four-step process to product development that he honed while working for some of the world's biggest businesses. Alberto's process won't just get you from prototype to finished product – it will get you there with minimal waste and with a maximum shot at hitting BIG returns with your customers.

On today's show, Cynthia discusses her "3 P's" and how CEOs can master these essentials to build a great business.

On today's special episode, we dig into our archives to see what some of our past guests have to say about these four key traits that the CEO Coaching International team helps its clients cultivate.

On today's show, Sheldon Harris discusses how family-run businesses can learn to keep their family issues from running the business into the ground.

"I looked at the truck and I went, 'Aha, that's my ticket,'" Brian remembers. "I took a $1,000 investment, $700 into a truck, the rest into flyers and business cards. Within a couple of weeks, I had a business that actually paid for itself. It was ironic because what funded my college education also inspired me to drop out."

On today's show, Brian Scudamore discusses the 3 key mindsets he used to grow 1-800-GOT-JUNK into the core business of an organization that now generates more than $300 million in annual revenue. We also discuss a really tough and really courageous staffing decision Brian made early on that allowed him to regroup, reorganize, and refocus on making BIG happen.

On today's show, Jim Bennett discusses how he homed in on the best business for him to grow, the talent he targeted as the best for the job, and the mindset that all CEOs should adopt if they want to get BIG too.

On today's show, Don Schiavone, who is now Managing Director of CEO Coaching International, explains how to fine-tune your baseline forecast to create a compounding effect that will accelerate your growth way beyond what companies can accomplish with more traditional top-down planning. If you incorporate Don's proven best practices into your own upcoming planning sessions, you'll be well on your way to a BIG 2019.

Kerry Siggins has evolved along with StoneAge as well. On today's show, we discuss her 11-year rise from general manager all the way up to CEO, and why she believes more businesses should consider forming an ESOP to get employees on board with making BIG happen.

On today's show, Dr. Gill Heart discusses the mental training that is necessary to deal effectively with extremely stressful situations. CEOs may not be able to control when a cash flow crisis or social media firestorm flares up. But we can control how we react to stressful situations so that both our businesses and our bodies keep executing at a high level.

On today's show, Mark Moses discusses how six of our clients have executed 9-figure exits. And we're not talking theory here. These are real-world philosophies and activities that have led our clients to more scale, more revenue, greater valuations, and dream exit scenarios. In fact, we have more clients following this exact same pipeline who will be achieving similarly BIG results in the very near future.

On today's show, Keith Alper discusses the importance of culture and employee engagement, and how to inspire your team to go from liking your company to loving it. Keith also shares some key insights from his long entrepreneurial career, including how he managed to maintain a very effective business partnership for more than three decades.

On today's show Tracy Williams discusses reputation management in the age of social media, particularly how to protect yourself and your company from a PR disaster that could explode as fast as a tweet.

Easy. Have a dentist tell you, "No!"

"My oldest brother is a dentist," explains Steve Kizy, "and when I graduated from college it was in 2008 and we were in the recession and I asked my brother if I could work for him and help him grow his dental practice. He looked at me straight in the face and said, 'No, you cannot work for me. One brother already works for me and I'm not going to take care of another.'"

Steve's brother did however point him to a niche market with a lot of opportunity and potential for growth. Combine that with an entrepreneurial drive that went back to selling cell phones in his dad's convenience store as a high school student, and a fast-growth entrepreneur was born.

On today's show, Steve Kizy discusses how his company is growing so fast in a highly competitive industry and the challenges that go along with that fast growth. We discuss how to foster a culture of teamwork and pitching in that will help any firm in any field get through the rough patches and make BIG happen year after year.

So why should your kids have it any different?

Because even the toughest CEO can turn to mush once we hear "Mommy!" or "Daddy!" We don't want our kids to have to struggle like we did. We want their lives to be as easy and pain-free as possible.

But Dr. Tim Jordan has found that our best intentions often lead to negative results. And in many cases, the same knack for prescient problem-solving and planning that's made your business successful can hold back your kids' development.

On today's show, Dr. Tim Jordan discusses the five biggest parenting mistakes that CEOs and entrepreneurs make and offers some expert tips that will prepare your kids to make their own BIG happen.

On today's show, serial entrepreneur Anthony Venus talks about the genesis of his new company YayPay, how he determined when the company had achieved product-market fit, and the steps he used to raise $8 million in venture capital money.

On today's show, Jim Weaver discusses his transition from government work to the private sector to going public, and what his experiences at the top of multiple companies have taught him about being a great CEO in any field.

On today's show, Jerry Swain discusses the lessons he learned from IBM's world-class sales training program, and how he applied that wisdom to his own BIG entrepreneurial ventures.

On today's show, Ash Garg discusses how he shifted from working for some of the biggest companies in the world to making BIG happen on his own terms.

On today's show, Asha discusses combing data analytics with your top-level CEO judgement to ask better questions about your business, and make smarter, more profitable decisions that will help you make BIG happen.

But once you have your fundamentals covered, how do you set yourself apart from the competition? How do you broadcast and leverage what's unique about your company to expand your client base and start ramping up towards BIG?

On today's show, Anthony Geraci explains how his team started thinking outside the box to change how a law firm traditionally operates and create a radical new approach to marketing. The result of this innovative thinking? An incredible 70% growth in one year.

On today's show Rafe Wilkinson discusses what his NFL career taught him about playing to his strengths, the importance of team-building, and how he hurdled a common CEO stumbling block while growing his company from 30 employees to over 1,000.

On today's show, Danny discusses how to grow as a CEO and how he narrowed his focus to four key activities that were essential to making BIG happen.

For me, it was when my son was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

For Carol Clinton, it was opening a dream skin care business with her husband – at the cost of their entire life savings – only to find herself in an operating room one week later having surgery for ovarian cancer.

On today's show, Carol discusses how her experience affected her perspective on business and life and offers advice for how CEOs can keep a personal crisis from derailing their companies.

If only.

Yes, some changes could make filing easier and taxes less onerous for you. But there's a lot of misinformation and exaggeration floating around about just how generous the new tax laws really are.

On today's show, Brett Ellen is back to cut through the hot air and explain how the new tax laws will really affect entrepreneurs and CEOs. Brett also discusses some of the biggest mistakes he sees people make as it relates to handling their business and personal taxes and how to put a protective moat around the castle that is you and your company

On today's show, Jim Kenefick explains how CEOs can build a team and a learning culture that will transform good companies into great ones. And then we follow that with a discussion on how you can finance your company's rapid growth.

Ginnie Roeglin played a big part in fine-tuning this innovative strategy. She led Costco's corporate marketing for nearly ten years and also helped grow Costco.com to $4 billion in e-commerce sales.

On today's show, Ginnie discusses the essentials to crafting a loyalty program that will keep your customers coming back for more and lead your business to BIG growth.

On today's show, Craig Coleman discusses the proven best practices that he uses throughout the interview process to narrow the field, ensure culture fit and skill alignment, spark productive background checks, and put together a team that will make BIG happen.

On today's show, Anne takes us inside her war room and shares the three-step process her team works through when strategizing winning bids. Whatever size RFP you have your sights on, Anne's process can help you fine-tune your bid and win some BIG new business.

On today's show, Piers Carey walks us through the science and art of making acquisitions, including the challenges, opportunities, and best practices that will help reconfigure your bigger company for BIG things.

On today's show, Oliver explains how he used technology, key performance indicators, top talent, and a commitment to his vision to pivot Property Force into a scalable, multimillion dollar business.

On today's show, Allan gives his tips on how CEOs can embrace positive, forward thinking to transform their companies into powerful disruptors.

On today's show, Doug discusses how he grew LendingTree from $10,000 in seed money into an e-commerce giant, and how you can apply some of the same strategies to growing your own business BIG.

When his dad died unexpectedly, 13-year-old Richard's life was thrown into chaos. That experience instilled in Richard both a DIY entrepreneurial spirit, and a passion for finding order. During the 2008 economic downturn, Richard had the bright idea to bid on private lunches with six Texas billionaires. The investment paid off as Richard enjoyed personal master classes from some of the most successful people in the country…and it led to many more billionaire interviews.

On today's show, Richard discusses the thought and behavioral patterns common to billionaires, and how he believes CEOs of all sizes can leverage those patterns to create "an entrepreneur in every home."

So, step one: load up your sales team with grade-A talent.

On today's show, Chris Larkins explains the importance of step two: ditch your flat-rate commission structure, and align your sales comp with the BIG goals all those sales should be building towards

On today's show, Bill Whitehead delves into the sales skills that separate top performers from the middle of the pack. Use Bill's insights to supercharge your lagging sales team, or to identify the habits of high-performing replacements you should be targeting.

Jaspar Weir, co-founder and president, says millennials comprise over 90% of his workforce, and TaskUs has invested substantial time and resources in measuring and improving the engagement of its employees to keep building on its rapid growth.

On today's show, Jaspar points past Bulletproof Coffee and Avocado Toast memes to discuss how strong corporate culture and a defined sense of purpose can attract, engage, and retain top millennial talent.

Mark Moses has been asking these provocative questions for over 20 years, and using the answers to turn around distressed companies and guide top firms to exponential growth.

On today's show, Mark discusses the top five reasons that entrepreneurs fail to create successful businesses, and the exercises he has designed to make sure your business steers clear of the same pitfalls.

On today's show, Sheldon Harris walks you through using Talent Insights to assess potential hires, break down their strengths and weaknesses, and determine who is the best person to help your company hit its goals and make BIG happen.

On today's show, Dr. Heidi Hanna gives her expert tips on keeping our stress low and productivity high.

On today's show, CEO Coaching International coach Chris Larkins walks us through five steps to extinguishing trouble before it engulfs your business.

Today, after compound annual growth of more than 28% for more than 30 years, his companies generate tens of millions of dollars a year in revenue. Recently, he sold a 29% interest in his companies for $35 million. Ron Carson shares his insights on accelerating growth.

Rob Friedman and his high school friend Jeff started an offline auction company that did reasonably well. But then the internet came along and they decided to put some listings online. Things really took off when, after four years of badgering the owner, they bought the domain Auction.com for $1.7 million and rebranded the company.

Today, Auction.com is the country's (and possibly the world's) largest e-commerce seller of real estate. And they hold a world record! The Auction.com platform was used to facilitate the largest verified e-commerce transaction in history based on current Guinness World Records information: The $96 million sale of Manhattan Towers, a two-building, 309,734 square-foot office property in Southern California.

Don Schiavone, the former COO of fast-growing Grasshopper, "The Entrepreneur's Phone System," was instrumental in leading the company as it optimized its 100% digital marketing growth strategy and its eventual sale to a Fortune 500 company. He brings together an in-depth understanding of technology with a data-driven "test-everything" philosophy: You can't manage what you can't measure. While coaching entrepreneurs at CEO Coaching, Don's approach to coaching focuses on three pillars of success: people, process, and systems.

In today's episode, we discuss many of the key takeaways from the event. 

Quickly, the vision expanded. While everybody knows the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), Brent is passionate about rebranding STEM learning to STEAM with the inclusion of art and creative. He is motivated by the power of group games and interactive media to bring people together in fun and meaningful ways. As a UCLA-trained engineer, he is a hands-on maker who uses rapid prototyping to turn vision into reality--and make money in the process.

He set a goal early in life to start a successful company, and now he's the CEO of a 7-time Inc. 5000 member. Yet he'll proudly show you pictures of his wife and four kids before he'll hand you a business card. Because it's still all about winning one for the team.

Here's one of many takeaways from the podcast.

1. Reset your goals BEFORE you achieve them.

Most people are happy just to meet their goals. Rick and his business partner Ron Grason have always been very aggressive about what's next. "If we were able to walk a mile, we wanted to run three. When we ran two, we reset the goal to run 10. We've always stretched ourselves from a goal-setting perspective and continue to spread our wings for growth opportunities, whether it be sales, product, network, or something else," said Rick. Are you resetting your goals as you near the finish line?

In today’s podcast, Jo shares her inspiring story and the hard fought business lessons that have propelled her career.

Coaching Takeaways

1.  Branding is a team activity. Your branding program must be built by a cross-functional team so you can get companywide buy in.

2.  Be intentional about how you position your brand or your competition will do it for you. Claim your space in your prospect and clients' minds and if it's too crowded, create a new category.

3.  If you can't state your brand essence in five words or less, start over. Clarity and emotional power are important components of your brand. Use as few words as possible to guide you in developing and living your brand.

A Chicago native, Ryan Rieches moved to SoCal in the 1980s and founded an advertising design studio. Later, he partnered with Ray Baird and built RiechesBaird into one of the nation's foremost B2B brand strategy firms. Under Ryan’s leadership, RiechesBaird received international recognition for its brand strategy work and was perennially ranked among the nation's top B2B firms by BtoB Magazine. An astute thought leader, Ryan is frequently tapped by companies, conference organizers and business schools at top universities to speak about corporate branding and business building. He also co-hosts a podcast interview series with marketers and other B2B experts.

In today's show, international investment banker Rob Follows discusses how business owners can prepare their company for a sale, present it in the best possible light, and sell it to a strategic buyer who might pay as much as 300% more than a financial buyer.

You only get one shot at making a great sale so it's critical you arm yourself with all the information you need to maximize your return and minimize your taxes.

Regardless of your company's size, you'll find great advice on how to make your company more valuable even if a sale is a few years away.

In this episode, you'll discover:

•       The best time to sell your business (hint, it's NOT when any of the "6 D's" are present).
•       How to skip the financial buyer and sell directly to a strategic buyer for a much higher price.
•       How to understand and strengthen the "critical enablers" that will lead strategic buyers to "fall in love with your business."
•       Why a recurring revenue business leveraged by technology could find immediate interest from strategic buyers.
•       Why starting the process to sell your company one or two years ahead of when you want to sell is important to maximizing your sales price.

In today's episode, we discuss how virtual phone service company Grasshopper did exactly that.

Don Schiavone helped lead Grasshopper as it grew from a small startup to a high-growth company and he shares the six strategies that formed the core of Grasshopper's rapid ascent.

You can apply these strategies too and propel your company to a higher level of growth.

So what mistake did CEO Coaching International founding partner Mark Moses make? Not hiring the absolutely best person for the job. 

The fact is, a great service or a gee-whiz product is nice, but if you don’t have “A” players to execute and make things happen, your company will be a second-tier player.

Not mincing words, Mark said, “I want to hire the people that have been there, done it, got it. I know they will perform. Those are the kind of people I want to bring on my team. I’m too tired to be giving somebody a continuous shot at a high-level role. I’m not going to do it.”

With that in mind, Mark discusses in practical detail how you can find and hire the very best performers who will give your company an “unfair” advantage in the marketplace.

In today’s episode, you’ll learn:

• The two places to look when you’re trying to hire a C-suite type person.
• The three-step process used to vet new hires so you end up with only “A” players.
• The three attributes new hires must possess in order to be successful at any company.
• Key questions to ask when interviewing a new hire.
• The importance of checking references and how to get around the reference check gatekeepers.
• How to create a scorecard for your company that measures leading indicators not lagging ones so your team stays focused on their most important priorities.